Tag Archives: #moral values

A Future We Can Respect

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We are living through an extraordinary transition in human history, a fraught passage between a technically advanced but disintegrating past and an ultimately coherent, sustainable, and civilized future. The distress we are experiencing is very real. The present challenges may feel new to some, but they have been coming on for years. The crisis deepens, but it is not new.

A future we can believe in and respect will demand a lot from Americans. Getting there will require steadfast patience and immense resolve. Most of all, it will call for an attitude and frame of mind that reaches far beyond partisan hostilities.

It will be necessary to respond in a way we are not accustomed to. We must remain even-tempered, creative, and constructive. Dishonesty and disagreeable behavior are guaranteed to continue, but we are strong.

The only future that matters will be built with genuine human caring and generosity of spirit.

You might think this to be impossible. Well, I’m sorry, but we have no choice. We will need to spare no effort. In extreme conditions we may discover we have strength or stamina we did not know we had.

The alternative will be to watch the future descend into a deepening abyss, a nightmare of degradation for ourselves and our children.

Constructive action must be pursued determinedly and responsibly by citizens who can bring themselves to engage meaningfully with those they differ with—to rise above our differences no matter what the response. The strongest among us are those who have suffered in the past. Our greatest resources will be people who have known hardship and have prevailed.

Please keep in mind that it might be helpful to back away occasionally for quiet moments to collect our thoughts.

What do we know? Humankind was never an experiment and never a mistake. Our extraordinary capacity as human beings allows us to overcome the challenges created by an energetic spirit and over-active imagination.

The weaknesses of egotism, selfishness, and dishonesty are the failures of individual people, not the failures of the human race. Pain and suffering are afflictions, not ultimate destiny.

We have responsibility for identifying and serving the purpose for which we exist: To engage the inborn promise of a just, trustworthy, and prosperous civilization. A coherent future will depend on authentic dialogue and collaboration—and a state of mind that remains steady in the midst of turmoil.

I come to you with the premise that safety, well-being, and economic stability all depend on a firm foundation in local communities. Practical guidance is available from many sources. My forthcoming book may assist you to focus effectively. It offers a practical vision and the means for advancing constructively.

We can expect extremes of civil disorder and social degradation in the coming years. Our determination and fortitude must not falter. Without authentic communities we will remain vulnerable and ineffectual.

So, what do I mean by “authentic community?” I am not talking about geography. I am talking about people, interactive relationships, shared purpose, and supportive institutions.

Authentic community transcends the diversity of social, religious, and political differences. It consists of engaged and trustworthy relationships. It involves commitment to local problem-solving and meeting shared needs.

Authentic community is actualized by engagement in meaningful dialogue and collaborative endeavors, supported by local institutions and the varied interest associations of civil society.

This will not come easily because most of us have little or no experience with true community. But the potential is real. Our friends and neighbors will find it increasingly attractive as their circumstances deteriorate.

A genuinely functional community is a living network of dependable relationships that supports personal, social, and economic well-being. Yet, it is far more than that.

Community encourages a consciousness that embodies ethical integrity, respectfulness, and caring. This provides strength and resilience in the face of duress.

Community supports coherent thinking and collaborative action. It transforms uncertainty into purpose and generates the fortitude to withstand hardship.

You are invited to explore this potential—to form a nucleus of support in your neighborhood, to think together, to learn and plan and grow.

Tom

Regular readers can watch for the next post on or about May 1.

My forthcoming book, “Liberty and the American Idea,” is being prepared for publication. The Introduction, an annotated table of contents, and several chapters can be found at the top of the homepage.

Alienation and Authority

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The degradation of social order we are experiencing today did not come out of nowhere. Growing alienation and distrust have been apparent for decades. This is not mysterious. But understanding it has become essential.

In his book, “The Great Degeneration,” economic historian Niall Ferguson discusses what has come to pass. He considers four areas in which the degeneration of values and social stability in the United States has had devastating consequences.

Paraphrasing him with my own words, these are: 1) the role of responsibility in the stability of social order, 2) the disintegration of the market economy, 3) the fundamental role of the rule of law, and 4) the essential qualities of a vibrant civil society.

Looking back, Dr. Ferguson reminds us of the vigorous civil and cultural life of 19th century America:

“I want to ask,” he writes, “how far it is possible for a truly free nation to flourish in the absence of the kind of vibrant civil society we used to take for granted? I want to suggest that the opposite of civil society is uncivil society, where even the problem of anti-social behavior becomes a problem for the state.”

Regular readers of this blog are well aware of the destruction of functional local communities over the course of American history. What happened? Why is authentic community so important to civilized life?

This question was addressed directly by Robert Nisbet in the early days of the American Conservative Movement. His influential book, “The Quest for Community,” provides a clear explanation for the social deterioration underlying our present condition.

Robert Nisbet states: “I believe, then, that community is the essential context within which modern alienation has to be considered.

“Here I have reference not so much to a state of mind—although that is inevitably involved—as I do to the more concrete matters of the individual’s relation to social function and social authority. These are… the two supports upon which alone community, in any reasonably precise sense, can exist and influence its members….

“By authority, I do not mean power. Power, I conceive as something external and based on force. Authority, on the other hand, is rooted in the statuses, functions, and allegiances which are the components of any association.

“Authority is indeed indistinguishable from organization, and perhaps the chief means by which… a sense of organization becomes a part of human personality…. Unlike power, it is based ultimately upon the consent of those under it; that is, it is conditional.

“Power arises only when authority breaks down.”

Loss of a self-generating social authority, which brings order, identity, and justice to our lives—is, according to Nisbet, the ultimate challenge confronting Americans. This is the necessity we must recover if we are ever to reach a civilized future.

If we allow the coherence and consciousness of civilized order to be replaced by autocratic top-down domination, we will have lost our liberty, our integrity, our self-sufficiency—leading to a long and difficult road ahead.

Constructive change made possible by the decision-making structure of the United States Constitution will be impossible without it.

Reflecting on the 20th century, and the legacy of two world wars and mass murder on a monumental scale, political philosopher Dr. Hannah Arendt drives home the hard truth of a shattered heritage–

“We can no longer afford to take that which was good in the past and simply call it our heritage, to discard the bad and simply think of it as a dead load which by itself time will bury in oblivion. The subterranean stream of Western history has finally come to the surface and usurped the dignity of our tradition.

“This is the reality in which we live. And this is why all efforts to escape from the grimness of the present into nostalgia for a still intact past, or into the anticipated oblivion of a better future, are vain.”

Listen, my friends: The only future for a free people must be secured with genuine values: Truthfulness, responsibility, steadfast patience—and the necessity for trust.

Each of you is capable of forming a nucleus of safety and sanity with your neighbors.

Don’t argue! And don’t wait!

Tom

Regular readers can watch for the next post on or about January 2.

The forthcoming book is “Liberty and the American Idea.” The Introduction, as well as an annotated Table of Contents and several chapters are linked at the top of the homepage.

Foundations of Trust

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The deterioration of civility and social order in the United States has brought with it estrangement, disaffection, and distrust. This unhappy affliction has been growing for decades. First focused primarily on government, distrust has gradually come to involve almost anything perceived as related to government.

Very little is trusted now. In the eyes of many Americans, educators, scientists, medical doctors, news media, and even the Constitution itself have all fallen from grace. Distrust has permeated society, causing anxiety and confusion, undermining our sense of security, and troubling personal relationships.

This is not simply a symptom; it lies at the heart of our difficulties. Trust is essential to the integrity and well-being of a society. It depends on justice and truthfulness, not political opinion.

Without trust no family or community or nation can long subsist. Truthfulness and trustworthiness are necessary foundations for order—in every aspect of our lives.

The loss of this security has brought the future of our country into question. Has the degradation progressed beyond repair? What can be done to bring healing—a return to genuine order and personal safety?

Americans face a multi-layered challenge. While trust must be won, it is very easily lost. Building trust takes time and lived experience. Loss of trust can happen in a moment.

Distrust in government is complicated by history, politics, and personal disappointments. Perceptions come to us with experience, and sometimes from pain. The challenge before us is imposing.

To overcome such overwhelming disaffection and estrangement it will be necessary to re-establish trustworthiness as the foundation for the character and prosperity of American society.

Real trust comes to life most readily in active interpersonal relationships. Real trust depends on meaningful interpersonal dialogue.

Consequently, it will be in local communities where the healing of distrust can realistically begin, and where it is most needed. When we face hard times, we need dependable neighbors. This is where trustworthiness truly matters when the going gets tough.

Americans are not accustomed to addressing this need. As important as it is for our safety and well-being, few of us seem to have the vision and courage to build supportive relationships.

When we engage in genuine personal relationships, we gradually bring trust to life in ever-widening circles. Trustworthiness becomes real as we experience dependability. We want it because we need it. But there are no shortcuts.

Building a stable, prosperous society will take as long as intelligent and determined people need to make it so. An inquisitive interest in understanding, and a willingness to be the first to listen, makes many things possible. Restraining ourselves from fractious debate when it will not be helpful, takes responsibility and discipline.

With respectful listening, we can make clear that we have heard the feelings, recognized the pain, and tried to understand. And this can happen best while we are working together to address neighborhood improvements and shared needs.

The mystery of differences and diversity does not need to be threatening. The greatest tests on this rocky road are those that call for grace, constancy, and generosity of spirit.

No one is asking us to change our views and our values. Instead, we are called to seek dignity for others as well as ourselves.

This is indeed honorable. But we are also called to something even greater. The integrity manifested in dependability soon spreads to influence the character of the wider world.

Strangely enough, it is actually just one thing—trustworthiness—upon which the integrity of nations, cultures, and societies depend.

Nothing in business or politics will matter until we get this right. And it can only be made right by each of us, made real in ourselves.

Trustworthiness is the supreme instrument for the safety and prosperity of the world.

Tom.

Regular readers can watch for the next post on or about December 1.

The forthcoming book is being prepared for publication. The Introduction and an annotated Table of Contents can be found at the top of the homepage.

Will Tomorrow Be Like Yesterday?

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A multitude of interacting crises are converging on America and the planet in the 21st century—material, social, moral.  The extraordinary number and diversity of threats is unparalleled.  Something extraordinary is taking place.  Our experience of normalcy is evaporating.

It is natural to look for someone to blame, but this is not useful.  The most significant mistakes now plaguing us were made over the course of many decades.  And massive structural change is now impacting our lives, which is inevitable and no one’s fault.

Interrelated global dynamics—economic, political, agricultural—are all subject to a fragile fiat monetary system and supply chain, to the rapid and uncontrolled emergence of advanced technologies, and to the massive displacement of desperate populations.

This is structural change: Incoherent, ungovernable, disruptive.

Our most imposing challenges fall into two distinct categories, which will interact with devastating effect.  These two can be clearly distinguished, one from the other.  One is material in nature, while the other is social, mental, and ethical in its influence and consequences.  The second of these, while profoundly significant for us personally, also impacts our ability to respond effectively to everything else. 

When anxiety and stress are dominant, it becomes difficult to see clearly, to solve problems, to listen well and understand others.  Uneasiness and confusion prevail. Nothing is more subversive than distrust, nothing more destabilizing than dishonesty, nothing more destructive than fear.

Our current view of the future is disoriented and anxiety-provoking.   That a faltering social order and growing tensions have generated conflict and political divisiveness is not surprising.

Yet these extraordinary challenges present us with an equally extraordinary window of opportunity.  Yes, an opportunity.  Here lies both the problem and promise presently at hand. Never have Americans encountered a more powerful stimulus to rethink and re-negotiate a future we can accept and depend upon.

How, you ask, can such dialog be possible when no one is willing to listen or to talk rationally?

There is no quick fix.  There is, however, a practical response which will require courage and foresight, and can be initiated promptly.

We might resist personal effort or actual engagement with other people, but I don’t think we have a choice. The way forward will be determined by practical necessity.  Reality will impose itself.  The need for dependable neighbors is rapidly approaching.  And this is where authentic dialog begins.

Safety and security will soon require functional communities and neighbors we can depend on regardless of religion or politics or the color of our skin.

No political hero can do this for us.  We need to stand on our own feet.

And we can begin today—to gather those among our friends and neighbors who are ready to start thinking and planning together, assessing shared needs and acting constructively. You will need only a few to form a nucleus of dependability.  Others will be attracted gradually to the presence of sanity and civility.

Let me be clear:  We must do this in place, where we already are and with the neighbors we already have.  If we relocate out of fear, attracted by the mirage of like-minded partisans, we will sow the seeds of doom for the future of America.

There is a natural human tendency to think with our imaginations, rather than to investigate rationally.  But the bottom line this: In local communities, security depends on a diversity of experience, perspective, and learned skills.  And this is made possible with courage, authentic dialog, and a generosity of spirit.

It is time to act.  In today’s world it is not wise to think every day will be like the last.

Tom

Regular readers can watch for the next post on or about November 1. My forthcoming book is being prepared for publication.  I hope to see it available early in the new year.  The Introduction, an annotated Table of Contents, and several sample chapters are available at the top of the homepage.

What is America

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We have choices to make.  They might differ from the choices we are used to thinking about, but these are not normal times.  Indeed, the challenges confronting us today are likely to worsen.  Faced with multiple crises and growing instability we will become ever more concerned about the future—about personal safety, family security, and the need for self-reliance.

Local neighborhoods are where this matters most.  My question for you is this: Will we seek dependable relationships with our neighbors—or pretend every day will be like the last?

With social order under duress, hardship increasing, and mental health breaking down, we can and must come together with our neighbors.  We cannot wait until we are already in trouble.  We need people in our lives who have practical skills, who are steady on their feet, who can help resolve local problems.  And we will need them regardless of their politics or religion or the color of their skin.

What are we afraid of?

Yes, strengthening interpersonal relationships takes time and commitment.  Trust must be time-tested.  And yes, this can only happen if we take initiative.

The first step is always ours to take.  We need just a few concerned friends and neighbors to form a nucleus of support.  We can think together, plan, and build trust.  Others will be attracted as our circle grows. The road to security begins with civility and is paved with dependability.  This is the only defense against calamity.

Some may say it’s too hard or too late.  I say that Americans are courageous, resourceful, resilient.  The United States was conceived in controversy; and the vision of the Founders came with recognition that wisdom and strength are found in diversity.

Indeed, it is argued here that diversity is the foundation for strength, and that the United States of America is a visionary assertion of this knowledge. The Founders gave us a structure.  It is our responsibility to make it work. 

Perhaps we have lost our way at times, stumbled, gotten sloppy.  But now it is time to pull together. Stability cannot be imposed from above in a free society.  The kind of strength we need comes from within—with courage, determination, and generosity of spirit.  And it can only be made real in active interpersonal relationships.

In finding our way through a multitude of crises we are forced to renew our values, think on our feet, and collaborate with others.  A creative process is now underway that would not be possible otherwise.

We are capable of rising above our differences.  We can allow one another the freedom to differ, to be misguided, to have a painful past.  We can address eachother respectfully.  Or, we can let the American vision and treasure slip between our fingers, and tip ourselves into chaos.

Some may think their principles are too important to be compromised.  Most of us, however, believe that the American Republic is worth defending, and that it is time for Americans to rise to the next level. The concept of unity within diversity did not exist prior to the founding of the United States.  The American Founders set humanity on a new course with a constitutional structure that accommodates diversity and facilitates collaborative problem-solving.

There are serious problems needing to be understood and resolved, and they cannot be addressed or even discussed when we are submerged in animosity. 

America has always been known for the clash of differing opinions.  Social, political, and religious pluralism is what America is all about.  This is who we are.

Consequently, constructive dialog is essential.  Problem-solving can be pursued to the extent necessary.  And it will only be possible if we allow trust to grow and be tested in functional working relationships.

Please share your perspective.  I value your feedback.

Tom

Regular readers can watch for the next post on or about October 1.

My forthcoming book offers a practical strategy for making this work.  I hope to see it published early in the coming year.  The Introduction, as well as an annotated Table of Contents and several sample chapters can be found at the top of the homepage.

American Crucible

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For more than two hundred years the United States has stood before the world as a beacon of hope, as a source of creative energy and as an evolving expression of political freedom, social diversity, and economic vitality. People everywhere have been attracted to the vision it represents.  Yet, the extraordinary challenges confronting the American people today mark a turning point and a defining test of America’s place in history. 

We have entered a dark time.  Confronted with economic degradation, with deep distrust and growing social disorder, it can be easy to forget the unique stature of the United States and the unfolding role it has played in the progress of an ever-advancing civilization.

Our economic well-being as a nation has been weakening for decades, and the generosity of spirit for which we have long been known has dimmed.  Confidence in the future is shaken.

But this is not the end of the story

A new beginning will be necessary to recover the resilience and generosity of spirit that has made us what we are.  It is time to rise to the next level.  There is truth in the unity of our national character—in our humanity and the dignity that has given Americans courage and self-respect.

Few have expected what we are seeing now.  Values, assumptions, expectations have all been disrupted.  Even so, America remains blessed with a constitutional order that respects the individual, seeks to protect both minorities and majorities, and makes room for diversity, innovation and creativity. 

The genius of the United States Constitution lies in a simplicity that imposes minimal restraint and allows maximum freedom—all the while requiring moral responsibility and functional cooperation. 

The Constitution is a legal document, carefully crafted in structure and intentionality.  But it is far more than a simple contract.  It embodies a vision and a trust.  It was prepared by men who cared deeply about the future and about Americans as a people.

This has been presented to us as the gift of an inheritance.  The freedom it promises is anchored in the wisdom of its legislative order, the protections it seeks for the individual, and the means with which it enables constructive change. These are among the elements of a non-partisan civil order that provides Americans with stability and the opportunity to forge a rational future.

The unique character of the Constitution depends on moral responsibility and the basic virtues we all know about: Truthfulness, trustworthiness, fairmindedness, forbearance—and a prudence that respects the interdependence of all the virtues.  This is written into the fabric of the American idea. 

Yet we are faced with unsettling questions, here and now.  And we are confronted with a multitude of serious crises. Will civil order be torn apart by resentments, distrust and frustration?  Will the nation survive as the constitutional republic envisioned by its founders?  Do we have the fortitude and grit to learn the lessons and reaffirm the vision that will lead to a genuine American renewal?

We are living at a pivotal moment. Are we prepared to embrace the spirit called for by the founders, which alone can lead to unity of purpose?  Or will we succumb to a rigidity born of insecurity and fear? 

The correction of mistakes cannot be addressed until we answer this question.  It must be addressed in dialog and in our hearts.  Civil disarray and social degradation will remain with us until it is.

What do we fear? 

A readiness to entertain differing views without altering one’s own is the measure of a mature person.  And we cannot seek solutions or influence change without an accurate understanding of what other people are thinking and why.

Only when the underlying conditions of conflict are fully understood, can it finally become possible to negotiate genuine security and collaboration. 

We will pay a heavy price for suspicion or defensiveness—when courage is only a step away.

Tom

Regular readers may watch for the next post on or about August 1.

An Introduction to the forthcoming book and several sample chapters are linked at the top of the homepage. To receive emailed alerts, you may click on the Follow button..

True Leadership

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The rapid deterioration of civil order and social stability in the United States has become apparent to everyone.  Do we accept this as an unalterable reality?  Are we comfortable sitting on our hands?  I don’t think so.  When things are falling apart, we need to attend to safety and order wherever we are able.   Our local communities are where we have potential influence and are the most vulnerable. 

Safety in an unstable world will, in the end, depend on trustworthy relationships with friends and neighbors.  But how is trust to be built with people we do not know well, if at all?

Many of us do not know our neighbors.  We live in a society that has lost its sense of community. Yet nothing is more essential today.

As challenging as this seems, we must respond.  Taking initiative is essential, even when we lack confidence.  We need our friends and neighbors.

We may at first find our initiative appreciated by only a few.  Do not be disheartened! A small number of people who are ready to think productively will allow your efforts to take root.  A nucleus of thoughtful citizens can discuss local needs, begin to plan and build trust.

The possibilities for action abound.  Neighborhood safety or a chat group devoted to mutual assistance—or even food security—can be unifying endeavors regardless of personal differences. Community gardening, for example, can provide productive neutral ground and shared security.  And preserving food can be a friendly cooperative endeavor.

Taking initiative is essential, yes, but true leadership may not be what many of us think.  We cannot be directive.  We cannot control what needs to happen.  Understanding and direction need to come from the group through dialog and consultation—formed as a summation of perceptions and ideas.

Only in this way will the best ideas and insights be developed and made available.

Encouraging creative endeavor in a diverse group of Americans will call for patience, flexibility, and encouragement.  We need to learn how to do this.  Everyone has something to offer.

In the formative stages of community-building, your efforts will gradually come to be appreciated.  However, there may also be perceptions that you are assuming a leadership role, whether you intend it or not.  This could become problematic. You will not be happy with the consequences of unexpected assumptions. 

With the nation in a devastating downward spiral of dishonesty, delusional behavior, and pervasive fear, true leadership has never been more needed.  But, never has leadership been perceived with greater suspicion.

Responding to clearly felt needs with effective organizing will not be possible if we present ourselves as lightning rods.

With the world as it is today, leadership must be is exercised with quiet humility.  I am not talking about modesty.  Our purpose must be community, and unity must be the priority.

If we are willing to work with our neighbors—and can find people who are ready to engage respectfully—we will find our way forward one step at a time. Responsibility and action are interdependent.  Words can be misunderstood and manipulated.  So, it is important that we invite others to join in active collaboration. 

Quiet leadership in authentic communities helps to overcome fear and hesitation. It encourages responsibility and fosters trust.  It is best shared, and will be best understood as personal commitment to meeting community needs.

We must try to see the end in the beginning, and to see the way forward when it appears uncertain or impossible to others. 

True leadership has a way about it that encourages, influences, supports.  It remains calm in the fog of uncertainty and is unperturbed by the anxieties of others.  It patiently gathers and facilitates frightened or troublesome people to unite constructively in response to practical necessity. It proceeds with a self-effacing demeanor and a low profile.  It often goes unrecognized, and this is as it should be.

When a genuine leader has been effective, community members will feel they have taken on challenges and won success for themselves. And, when a truly great leader has been present, people will simply say: We did this ourselves.

Tom

Note to regular readers: You may look for the next post on or about July 2. To receive emailed alerts, visit my website.  An Introduction to the forthcoming book and several sample chapters are linked at the top of the homepage.

Truthfulness and Trust

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I have reminded you, not long ago, that no family, no community, no society can long endure in the absence of trust.  No principles, beliefs or opinions can be effective if we are unable to trust. It is possible to pull ourselves back from this downward spiral, but it will not be with a quick fix.  We must each focus first on our personal responsibility—on the necessary attitudes, behaviors, and virtues that form the basis for a stable society.

This, the American Founders warned, is what freedom would require of us. Do we understand?

Let me be clear.  The future of the United States will, in my view, depend on general recognition that truthfulness is essential at all times.  Yes, truthfulness—the truthfulness upon which all trust depends.

You laugh?

Well, my friends, you can laugh all the way to chaos and mayhem.  Because we have no choice.

Seeking liberty in a new order, the Founders introduced the Constitution with an extraordinary lack of constraints and restrictions.  They knew the future of the nation would depend on the behavior of its citizens, and they said so. 

Why is truthfulness necessary?  Why does civilized order depend on it?

Another virtue, sometimes called a “cardinal virtue”, is prudence.  And, if truth be known, all the virtues are prudent—for the simple reason that a civilized society depends on them.

The virtues, among which are patience, forbearance, compassion, and ethical consistency, are the means for securing a safe, stable and productive society.  These are not simply “nice ideas”; they are among the core tenets of human civilization.

Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues, and prudence is their purpose.

Where do we start?  Our society is heavily burdened by the discord and disunity that come with distrust.  Conflict and contention are the source of degradation and loss.

Actually, we do not need to agree on much to be trustworthy.  However, we do need demonstrate our trustworthiness.  And this can only be done in active, engaged relationships.

It will only be possible to build trust with civility, and with a genuine interest in understanding the reality of other people.  Those who differ from us come to their views and perspective by way of their experience, their hopes, fears, and disappointments. So it is that unity of action in a community is only possible where there is genuine dialog leading to authentic relationships. 

First, we need to agree with our neighbors only on resolving the immediate problems at hand. Accepting responsibility for interpersonal dialog contributes to safer neighborhoods, to meeting practical needs.  Kindness attracts loyalty.  Reciprocity engenders productivity.

Being realistic about this means preparing ourselves for situations that are sometimes frustrating.  This is our reality today.  A great deal of damage has been done. So, steadfast patience becomes essential, a way of being.  We must determine not to be compromised by difficult circumstances or diverted from our purpose.

Interpersonal relationships are the sinews of community, and communities form the foundations of a society.  Genuine dialog and ongoing working relationships build trust.  This is where the groundwork for stability is built.

Sometimes it takes courage to engage with people we don’t know or understand.  But without this we remain stuck in helplessness and in the dark. Without truthfulness and good will, constructive action is impossible and security is a mirage.

Finally, let us please beware that we not walk in the ways of those whose words differ from their deeds.  We see this all around us, and it is the kiss of death.

Be true to your words, and ensure that your actions are consistent, trustworthy and faithful.

Tom

Note to regular readers: You may look for the next post on or about May 1.

An Introduction to the forthcoming book and several sample chapters are linked at the top of the homepage: http://www.freedomstruth.net.

Who We Are!

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The American Founders made a determined effort to ‘see the end in the beginning’.  The Constitutional Convention of 1787 gave birth to a vision that generated inner fortitude and outer prosperity for more than two hundred years.  The Constitution has provided protections for both minorities and majorities which have remained firmly in place despite every upheaval.  It ensures the order necessary to make constructive change possible, and guides us through the patient discipline required to do so. 

Americans stand today at another decisive turning point in history which calls for the same kind of visionary maturity.

We are blessed with the oldest democratic republic on the planet, a brilliantly conceived structure that has channeled the creative initiative of immigrant peoples into a dynamic force for capacity-building and well-being. Basic order and consistency have survived throughout a contentious past, as the United States has advanced slowly, painfully, toward an ever-more just and inclusive society.

There have been inconsistencies, certainly.  There will always be work to do.

Most of the Founders appeared unable to imagine a multiracial society.  Slavery remained prevalent in the United States long after it was ended everywhere else in the European world.  This injustice was unique in a modern nation.

Yet the Constitution put a set of institutions in place that were capable of resisting injustice to an unparalleled degree.  We have been growing into this inheritance as we have matured.  Ours is the responsibility to give trustworthiness and fairness the strength and resiliency they require.  Prosperity will be unattainable without this.

The record has not always been pretty, but how could we expect anything approaching perfection when we throw the human race, gathered together from diverse roots, into the managed chaos which is the nature of freedom?

The human race has matured as America has matured.  The Constitution provides the structure; we must do the work.

Early in the twenty-first century the American people have splintered into isolated fragments, as fear and inflexible thinking dominate public discourse. Those citizens who defend the time-honored American traditions of pluralism and inclusion have found themselves isolated amidst the clamor and confusion of bitterness.

What is it, after all, do we suppose made America great?  May I make a suggestion?

The Constitution has provided a supple backbone for a vibrant, combative, and creative people.  It trusts citizens to live and act with moral responsibility.  Our behavior matters.  The Founders knew the success of the new nation depended on this, and they said so.

The lack of ethical leadership in America is one of the many signs of the breakdown of moral values in our society. Without such leadership it becomes necessary for each citizen to examine his or her assumptions and test them against the reality that confronts us.

We must try to become aware of our unconscious assumptions—what we assume to be true.  When unexamined assumptions are taken for granted, they can become “conventional wisdom”.  We imagine them to be “the truth”.

And so it is that self-styled “leaders” parrot back to us what they think we want to hear.

Americans need to take responsibility for the order given us by the Constitution.  It is not rational to expect someone else to make things right.  We are a sovereign people.

Responsibility is always personal. Until we accept this truth the world will disintegrate around us.

The Constitution provides a framework with which to apply ourselves.  It invites us to find our way into the future with loyalty, collaboration, reciprocity.

We are Americans.  We can do it.

Tom

A note to regular readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about April 2.

An annotated Table of Contents from the forthcoming book, as well as the Introduction and several sample chapters can be found at the top of the homepage.  I welcome your ideas and feedback.

Image courtesy of the Washington Plaza Hotel.

An American Choice

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Readers of this blog know the basis for my message.  With our future spiraling ever deeper into crisis, I believe there to be only one way to seek safety and stability.  Our neighborhoods and local communities can be prepared to provide organized and dependable cooperation.  As conditions deteriorate, we can choose to rise above our differences to the extent necessary.  Meeting shared needs will require effective planning and dialog.

This may well be an ultimate choice for Americans—and for two reasons.  First, it might very well determine the safety of our families during the coming storm.  And, second, as we work together in the face of hardship, we will discover what our fellow citizens are actually made of. 

This is probably the only way we can find our way back to the loyal perseverance and pluralistic traditions that first came to life in the American past.

It is easy to assume the worst of people who appear different from ourselves.  But they might actually prove to be quite ready to stand by us as dependable neighbors.

How can we start building such security?

Functional community always depends on personal initiative.  No organizational skills are necessary. When we reach out to our neighbors—down the street and around the corner—we will be welcomed by some and rebuffed by others.  But we only need a few to begin a productive dialog.

The effort to assess circumstances and identify needs will lead to planning and action.  Others will join when they recognize and trust what you are doing.  Some will take longer to come around than others.  Distrust is running deep and misinformation is pervasive.

The challenge of building local communities does not require expertise.  To get started, we only need to put our heads together. 

It is true, however, that the greater the diversity you bring together, the safer you will be.  This is because you will be tapping into more available knowledge, experience, and personal skills.

The dynamic interaction of diverse perspectives provides immense strength.  In my view, community is the crucial choice for us in the face of dire circumstances.

How much danger will we subject ourselves to, before we turn to constructive action?  What keeps us back?

I suggest to you that the greatest of all dangers is lodged in our unexamined assumptions.  There is no greater risk to the future of America.

Assumptions always get in the way.  They have no real existence except in our imagination.  But real people do not live in our imaginations.

We must free ourselves from this very dangerous source of alienation.  The danger is real and can become extreme.

Among those imprisoned in their imaginations, are those who propose a forceful approach to change.  Do we understand what this means?

Let’s be clear:  Force will create exactly the opposite of its intended purpose.  Traditional conservatism understands this quite well.

It was Hayek who said, “the principle that the ends justify the means is in individualist ethics regarded as the denial of all morals.”

Harry Emerson Fosdick may have stated this truth most clearly: “He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to.  It is the means that determine the end.”

And the conservative icon, Ayn Rand drove the point home most emphatically: “An attempt to achieve the good by force is like an attempt to provide a man with a picture gallery at the price of cutting out his eyes.”

Americans will depend on rational minds and moral principles as we navigate the rocky road ahead.  Incivility, negativity, and especially threatening behavior, will subvert virtually everything that matters. 

Influencing hearts and minds depends on demonstrating trustworthiness in our actions.  Which is why we can begin by gathering a few of our neighbors around the kitchen table. 

Personal sharing, honest dialog, and realistic planning are the foundations of local security–and for the future of this American nation.

The means by which we seek our intended purpose will determine the substance and quality of the outcome. 

Tom.

Notes to regular readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about February 2.

To receive email alerts, click the box on the right side of the homepage..  An Introduction and annotated Table of Contents for the forthcoming book can be found at the top of the homepage.

Freedom & Responsibility

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In the years since the World Wars, Americans have gradually come to terms with the idea that freedom and responsibility have a direct and integral relationship with each other.  This seems reasonable enough, but how much attention do we give it?  Why is it true, and what does it actually mean?

Self-reliance and the acceptance of responsibility for family and community are hallmarks of the American idea.  They are sources of human dignity and self-respect.  They support dependability among neighbors.

People respect people who are respectful—people who take responsibility for themselves and care about others.  When the going gets tough, whining and complaints really don’t fly.

We can all see the way things are coming apart.  Integrity in our relationships with friends and neighbors will matter.  In a crumbling society it will matter a lot.

We demonstrate our personal integrity in working relationships.  Responsibility can only exist in relationships.  This is where we show our true colors.

Some people imagine they can assert their freedom by simply doing as they wish.  But there can be no freedom without consideration for the realities of a civilized order.  Personal security depends on order and the quality of relationships.

Some seem never to have considered the conditions required to secure safety or justice or the basic functionality of human society.  Some seem ready to tear everything down without a thought for the consequences, even for themselves. 

Over-reactive drama, lacking foresight or wisdom, can actually destroy the means for needed change—for seeking constructive solutions.  A failure of foresight can undermine security and bring about the dissolution of order. 

In the previous post I spoke with you about the importance of truthfulness, trustworthiness, and forbearance, virtues which the American founders expected of the American people—not simply from political leadership, but from everyone. 

They knew liberty could not be had in any other way, and they said so.  They gave us their trust: A governing structure with almost no constraints other than those respecting the property and well-being of our fellow citizens.

Democracy was a new idea back then.  The Constitutional Convention of 1787 struggled with the concerns of a contentious constituency, and recognition that the Republic would face future threats and unpredictable stresses.

Libertarian sentiments were strong among Americans in the 18th century.  There was a natural fear of the oppressiveness of institutions from which they had so recently fled. Many had strong feelings about protecting the freedom they experienced in America, a freedom that stood in marked contrast to the ever-present example of slavery (which they insisted on maintaining).

The Founders were quite aware of the mood, and recognized that majority factions had no qualms about suppressing minorities or rejecting the interests of anyone who differed from themselves.  It was easy to imagine a tumultuous future.

The United States Constitution is the product of this tension, and the determination to create a dynamic framework capable of protecting freedoms while channeling the forces of conflict and change that would surely come. How did the Founders endeavor to project freedom and order into a future they could only barely imagine?

The Constitution provides a structure for governance designed for a diverse and argumentative population.  Yet, it is notable for its’ simplicity and provides few legal constraints. They chose a course that depends on Americans to govern their own behavior.  Fairness and balance are woven into the fabric of the Republic.  The rest depends on us. 

Americans are now more than 300 million in number and we have differences.  Disagreement is natural.  Differences need to be fully understood before solutions can be investigated.

Civilized choices are made possible through the collaborative problem-solving enabled by the Constitution.  Americans possess the tools for problem-solving, for managing change, and most importantly, for addressing violations of integrity and trust.

These things take time if we care about freedom and responsibility.  Instability begins with impatience, and the inability to compromise. 

We stand today at an extraordinary turning point.  We cannot abandon our inheritance and imagine it possible to start over again from nothing.  That would be impossible.

Tom

You may watch for the next post on or about November 1.

Note to new readers:  An introduction to the coming book, an annotated table of contents, and several chapters are available in draft at the top of the homepage: http://www.freedomstruth.net.

Freedom’s First Principles

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As the crises multiply around us, Americans are confronted with unexpected challenges.  It is becoming painfully apparent that we may need to know and depend on our neighbors, whatever their religion, their politics, or the color of their skin.  With disunity comes danger and vulnerability.

If we are to build strong communities and safe neighborhoods, it will begin with the personal integrity upon which community depends.  Integrity is essential in the character of purpose.  So, let’s be clear about what we are doing: The only acceptable future depends on trustworthiness. 

I suggest that the foundations for trust include truthfulness, dependability, moral responsibility, and genuine interpersonal dialog.

These are not things to be acquired by wishful thinking.  We must make them so.  They are learned and lived in relationships.  Authentic community is not possible without them.

This may seem idealistic to some and to others simply out of reach.  But it is clear to me that we have no choice but to live responsibly.  This will mean summoning the courage to engage meaningfully with everyone around us.  Yes, everyone!

Americans can do this.  Freedom depends on it.  But it does require a positive attitude, practical thinking, and skills we are all capable of learning. 

In light of recent history, a respect for moral values would seem to be a practical response to the degradation of social order in a society dominated by dishonesty, deception and distrust—and their inevitable consequences.

The word ‘virtue’ has lost respect and many people now avoid using it.  But when we think about integrity, there is no other word that serves as well.  Why?  Because the virtues are necessary if we are to live our lives engaged with what is real rather than what is imagined.

One might reasonably argue that this is a global problem and not limited to the United States.  As Americans, however, we have particular reason to take notice. The bulwark of stability that is the United States Constitution cannot function in the absence of the traditional virtues.  And the reason is, quite simply, because it provides a uniquely unrestrictive governing structure.

The character of the Constitution is founded upon the founders’ expectations regarding the integrity and character of future Americans.  Their contract with us was an act of faith, an expression of the belief that Americans could be entrusted with the future.

This is not a theoretical interpretation of the founders’ motives.  Their expectations of us were clearly expressed in letters, speeches and writings. “Everyone involved in the creation of the United States,” writes Charles Murray, “knew that its success depended on virtue in its citizenry – not gentility, but virtue.” 

James Madison was explicit: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people is a chimerical [wildly fanciful] idea.”

Patrick Henry was equally forceful: “No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue.” And, in his farewell address George Washington famously said: “Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.”

These words of wisdom are quoted by Charles Murray in his book, ‘Coming Apart’.  “In their various ways”, he comments, “the founders recognized that if a society is to remain free, self-government refers first of all to individual citizens governing their own behavior.”

The warnings confront us today as we peer into the waiting abyss of a corrupt and duplicitous future.  Will we stop to consider why the founders knew that liberty depends on virtue, and, indeed, what liberty actually meant to them?

In America, accountability falls to ourselves.  And it is here that a discussion of first principles must begin.

There is a reason why living virtuously is about living well.  Virtue is practical.  It protects us from violating the foundations of existence. 

It has been said that prudence, which is one of the so called ‘cardinal virtues’, is actually the form or pattern of all the virtues.  This is because the virtues allow us to live in a way which is compatible with true order. 

It is prudent to be trustworthy.  It is prudent to respect reality.

Tom

You may watch for the next post on or about October 2.

A note to readers: An annotated Table of Contents, Introduction, and several chapters from the forthcoming book are posted in draft at the top of the homepage.